Scholarships

WARBIRDS OVER WANAKA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME

The Warbirds Over Warbirds Scholarship programme was established in 2016 to assist up and coming Warbird Pilots to gain experience in Warbird/Classic aircraft with the aim of being involved at future airshows. The programme has now been extended to include aircraft engineers.

The Warbirds Over Wanaka Community Trust is looking for applicants who are committed and passionate about Warbird aircraft and Warbird Airshows

One or more scholarships will be awarded in the year following a successful airshow, to an individual or group.

Each scholarship will be worth up to a maximum of $10,000. The number and value of scholarships awarded will remain at the discretion of the Trust Scholarship team.

Applicants must be a NZ resident and all scholarships must be taken up within a year of acceptance.

 

Qualification criteria

  • Pilot applicants must have a current PPL licence with a minimum of 200 hours as PIC.
  • Engineer applicants must have a minimum of two years aircraft maintenance experience in training to become a LAME and 50% of the basic licence exams achieved, and some experience on Warbird Aircraft.
  • All applicants must supply at least one recommendation from someone involved in the aviation industry.

Timeline

  • Entries open from the 1st July 2025 and will close 31st July 2025
  • Application forms will be available here from June 2nd 2025
  • Successful applicants will be announced by the end of September, 2025.

APPLY HERE

This quote in a letter to Warbirds Over Wanaka from 2017 scholarship winner Michael Williams  says it all:

"As you are aware, I put my Scholarship towards type-rating training in the P-40 Kittyhawk. We didn't get to complete all of the flying at the one time and it has taken until now to "line up the planets" in order to get the aircraft, Frank Parker and myself in the same place and time. Suffice to say however, as of now I am officially type rated in the P-40, with the final flight being one of the best 30 minutes of my life whilst trialling a display routine just south of Ardmore. I just wanted to say a huge thank you for the opportunity. The Scholarship was the critical factor that enabled all of this to happen, and for that I cannot thank you enough."